


i am strong enough (to let you in)

by poweradequeen



Series: tumblr prompts [4]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, I love that that's an actual tag, Trapped In Elevator, prompt from my tumblr
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-26
Updated: 2020-06-26
Packaged: 2021-03-03 23:00:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,600
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24923491
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/poweradequeen/pseuds/poweradequeen
Summary: aang and toph are trapped in an elevator and i love them. not only is this a prompt fic, this is a comfort fic.title from eight by sleeping at last
Relationships: Aang/Toph Beifong
Series: tumblr prompts [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1796524
Comments: 5
Kudos: 47





	i am strong enough (to let you in)

**Author's Note:**

> prompt: alone together

Aang and Toph had just gotten into the elevator when it stopped. The light going out, and the elevator ceasing to move. That would put a damper on date night. Sokka, Katara, Zuko and Suki were still in the lobby. Toph and Aang, being themselves, raced them to the elevator. They were regretting it.

“What was that?” Toph asked in a mix of panic and confusion.

“The elevator stopped. I think the power may have gone out,” Aang answered. “I’ll call Sokka and ask.” 

Aang got out his self phone and dialled Sokka’s number. “Hey, is there a power outage?”

“There certainly is. You and Toph stuck in the elevator?”

“We certainly are.”

“Ah, nice. Do you want me to call the Fire Department?” Sokka said.

“Sure, It’ll be nice to see Zuko again,” Aang laughed.

“Zuko wanted me to inform you that: one, he is not a firefighter.” Aang could hear Zuko’s voice on the other side of the call. “Two, you just saw him a few minutes ago, and three, just because he was a pyromaniac in his youth, doesn’t mean you should make fun of him for it.” 

“Oh, everybody can mock me for having a crush on Katara when I was twelve, but I can’t make fun of Zuko?” Aang questioned. “I feel like that’s a double standard.”

“We make fun of you because it’s funny, Twinkletoes. Get used to it.” Toph rolled her eyes playfully, leaning against the wall of the elevator. 

“Anyway, yes please call the fire department. I don’t know how long I can last stuck in here with Toph before either she murders me or I go insane.” Aang said. Sokka laughed on the other line at Aang’s comment.

“I don’t think it would result in  _ murder _ , per se,” Toph said. “Maybe just some maiming.”

“That’s comforting, Toph. Thank you for clarifying.” Aang sat down cross-legged on the floor.

“No problem! Happy to clear things up,” Toph sat beside Aang. “How long are we gonna be stuck here?”

“I don’t know. I’m also stuck in the elevator, in case you haven’t noticed.” Aang shifted and stretched out his legs. Toph rested her head on Aang’s lap, her head facing the roof. 

“What’s it like?” Aang asked. “You know being blind and everything.”

“It’s like being blind?” Toph answered, but it was phrased more like a question. “What do you mean?”

“What do you see?” 

“I don’t see  _ anything _ , I’m blind,” Toph shrugged her shoulders. Aang made a mocking sound. 

“Like, how do you navigate? Or how do you pick out clothes?” Aang suggested the new questions. “How do you do the, seemingly, mundane things that would normally be associated with eyesight?”

“Well, I’m amazing and extraordinary, so it was actually quite easy to learn how to do it all,” Toph gloated. Aang absentmindedly starting playing with her hair, twirling it around his fingers. “And I guess I have a good support system that is always there to help me if I’m struggling, but doesn’t make it a big deal.”

“You’re admitting that sometimes you need help? That’s a big step for you, I’m proud.”

“Haha, so funny,” Toph said, rolling her eyes. “But on a serious note, yes I can be serious, stop laughing, I really appreciate you guys.”

“And we appreciate you too,” Aang said genuinely. “Even when you make fun of us.”

“That’s how I show my love,” Toph said, a small laugh escaping her lips. 

“I’m well aware. The first week we started dating I had a bruise on my arm as well as on my psyche,” Aang looked down at Toph. He was glad, in that moment, that Toph was blind because she would have definitely would’ve called the look of adoration in his eyes cheesy.

“I’m sure your psyche was fine, I didn’t make fun of you  _ that _ much. Just a little,” Toph said. “Also if you keep playing with my hair, I  _ will _ fall asleep.”

“Oh, sorry,” Aang apologized. He retracted his hand from her head, setting it back on the ground.

“I didn’t say I didn’t like it, I was just informing you that I would fall asleep if you continued,” Toph said, a faint smile on her face. She closed her eyes and shifted against Aang’s lap. 

Aang took a moment to really appreciate his girlfriend’s beauty. Her skin, soft like silk. Her eyes, a pale jade; they were closed but he had them committed to memory long before they started dating. When they were just friends and he was completely lovestruck. Her hands, they were small but they held so much power. The way they felt against his skin. He could still feel her fingertips gliding down the bridge of his nose, gauging what it might look like to the sighted, like it was yesterday. 

Her laugh was by far his most favourite about Toph. It was gorgeous, ethereal, music to his ears. It was infectious and amazing. It was what he fell in love with first. He fell for it first and most. If Aang got one wish from a deity or the heavens if they existed, it would be hearing Toph’s laugh played on repeat for the rest of his life, He didn’t think he’d ever get tired of hearing it. To him, hearing her laugh was like hearing for the first time.

“You’ve got that look on your face, don’t you?” Toph asked, her eyes were still closed, but there was no real reason for them to be open.

“What look?” Aang asked.

“The look Suki always tells me is on your face when I walk in the room,” Toph explained.

  
“I don’t think it’s  _ that _ often, but perhaps it was on my face a few seconds ago, yes,” Aang admitted. Toph sat up and stretched. She repositioned herself, her head resting on Aang’s shoulder. Their arms pressed up against each other. They sat there for a few minutes before Aang’s phone started ringing. 

“Hey, Sokka, what’s up?” Aang put the call on speaker so Toph could hear.

“Fire department is here, says it’s going to be at least another fifteen minutes.” 

“Fifteen more minutes? How will I ever survive?” Toph whined.

“ _ At least _ fifteen minutes, it could be more. You could be stuck there for another  _ hour _ ,” Sokka taunted, laughing at Toph’s whining. 

“Aang stop laughing at me!”

“I’m sorry, Toph,” Aang laughed. “It’s funny.”

“Okay, I’ll let you laugh at me just this once because,” Toph started. “I’m an amazing girlfriend; and I’ve laughed at your expense before.”

Aang rolled his eyes lovingly. “How kind of you.”

“Wow, okay. I’m hanging up now,” Sokka ended the call. Toph sighed loudly and blindly looked in Aangs direction. Aang busted out laughing. Toph joined him.

“Why are we laughing?” Aang asked.

“I don’t know, you started it,” Toph replied. 

“We’ve almost got it only a few more minutes,” a firefighter told Katara and Suki. 

“Great, the quicker the better,” Katara replied. 

“Toph, even if she doesn’t want to admit it, gets a bit claustrophobic,” Suki added.

“Yeah, five minutes at maximum.” The firefighters pried the doors open to a crying Toph.

“And that’s why me and my parents drifted apart,” Toph cried.

“You're completely valid to feel that way, you're always safe with me,” Aang consoled her. “Oh, they got the doors open.”

“For reference, I was not crying. I also did not reveal anything about my past trauma. Just as clarification,” Toph stood up, wiping the tears off her cheeks. She dusted off her pants. 

“It’s true she didn’t, I was with her in the elevator,” Aang backed her up. Wrapping his arm around her shoulders.

“Okay, good for you,” Zuko said. “These bags are heavy and we need the keys to your guys’ place.”

“Okay, I see how it is,” Aang scoffed, overdramatically. “Only friends with us for our countertop.”

“So shallow, I can’t believe it, Aang. Time and money invested into these friendships, all down the drain!” Toph draped the backside of her hand on her forehead. “A travesty, I don’t think I’ll ever recover.”

“You’re so overdramatic.” Zuko sighed as they got out of the elevator. “And this is coming from a theater major.”

“Oh, that’s gotta sting,” Suki laughed.

“Not that much, no,” Toph shook her head. “And maybe this is because I have blackmail on Zuko, but I don’t even think so.”

“Wait blackmail?,” Katara asked.

“Oh, I have to hear this,” Sokka said.

“Is this the-?” Aang and Zuko asked at the same time.

“It is.”

“Why does Aang know and we don’t?” Suki asked.

“You know how I have those things that we don’t talk about?” explained Toph.

“Your feelings?” Katara said.

“Yes, those.”

“You told Aang because you're in love with him, got it. Now spill,” Sokka laughed.

“You all  _ know _ how Zuko was a pyromaniac in his youth, right?”

“No, no no, please-” Zuko tried to interject but Toph stopped him.

“Well, what if I told you he only stopped because my parents found him trying to light our estate on fire?”

“Oh? Please tell me this is true?” Katara asked, her hands clasped in front of her face in disbelief. “No, like seriously. I  _ need _ to know if this is true.”

“Unfortunately, it is,” Zuko confirmed. “I had a very,  _ very _ troubled childhood. I got the therapy I needed. The Beifong’s didn’t press charges. It’s all in the past. Thankfully.”

“Don’t worry, I have more stories where that came from. Even some I haven’t told Aang,” Toph revealed.

“Really?” Aang asked.

“Oh, yeah, and they are so very embarrassing!”

**Author's Note:**

> thank you for reading! check out my tumblr [@toph-beifcng](https://toph-beifcng.tumblr.com/)
> 
> also go visit [@rllyjohnrlly](https://rllyjohnrlly.tumblr.com/)'s tumblr! they inspired me to finish this fic, and they are absolutely _amazing_


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